Scandal at Scourie

1953-05-17

After their orphanage burns down, a group of children are being transported west by train to Manitoba. All of them are available for adoption and at a stop at Scourie, Ontario little Patsy meets Victoria McChesney. Victoria and her husband Patrick have no children and she immediately decides to adopt the girl. The only condition imposed on them is that as Patsy has been baptized a Roman Catholic the Protestant McChesneys agree to raise her as a Catholic. Patsy is a well-behaved little girl whose only real problem is a school bully, also one of the orphans, who spreads stories that she set their orphanage on fire. Problems arise when the local newspaper goes after Patrick, the town reeve and prominent member of his political party. Patrick decides they can't go forward with the adoption. Patsy overhears him and runs away but does so just as the school catches fire. The community quickly decides Patsy is responsible but it's Patrick who comes to her defense. It all ends well.